composer
Alessandro Striggio (c. 1536-1592) was the son of a Mantuan nobleman. When he was about 18 years of age he joined the court of Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici in ...
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Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Mixed choir
Scoring:
GK
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3sopr 3alt 3ten 3bas
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Vocal music
Subgenre:
Mixed choir
Scoring:
3sopr 3alt 3ten 3bas
composition
The First Book of Madrigals (Volume II) : for 5 voices / Alessandro Striggio; transcribed and edited by Cees Wagemakers
Other authors:
Wagemakers, Cees
(editor)
Contains:
Donna felic’ e bella – Se ne la mente mia (3’30”)
Madonna, il vostro petto (2’15”)
Torbido il Mincio corre – Una celeste Nube (5’)
Miser’ oime (2’30”)
Misero più d’ ogn’ huora (3’15”)
Che deggio far (3’15”)
Arse così per voi (2’)
Ditemi o donna mia (2’30”)
Illustre alma gentile – Non puo ingegno mortale (4’45”)
Si dolc’ è d’ amar voi (2’45”)
Ridon liete le rive – Paghi dunque il mio pianto (4’45”)
Quanto privo di te (3’)
Non fiammeggiav’ ancor (2’30”)
Ardendo i grid’ e moro (2’30”)
Voi se col raggio – Ch’ alzate al suon (4’)
Poi che mort’ e colei (2’30”)
O voi che sotto l’ amorose insegne – Si dirai poi (Cipriano de Rore) (4’45”)
Description:
This First Book of Madrigals for 5 voices counts 29 madrigals from which one by Cipriano De Rore (c. 1515/6-1565).
The album should not be mistaken for the First Book of Madrigals for 6 voices, also available in this series. Both albums were published by Scotto in Venice. This album is the 1566 reprint of an earlier edition (1560) with less madrigals.
The opening madrigal in this album is dedicated to Duke Cosimo (or Cosmo), proclaiming Striggio’s allegiance to his new employer. Another madrigal is dedicated to the Gonzaga family in Mantua (#4).
Several poetic texts can be ascribed to Giulio Nuovoloni, a Mantuan poet. Like the other album mentioned above this one contains madrigals with an intricacy seldom seen and heard in that period, showing the mastership of Striggio. While in his time there was always a certain measure of homophony in the Italian madrigals - until the Flemish composers came in - Striggio’s madrigals are more polyphonic and show a texture of great beauty. A remarkable idiom of Striggio’s music is the multitude of syncopes in his music. These seemly conflicting rhythms are very refreshing and playful, but after hearing many of these madrigals one could get the suspicion of a cliché. Boring? Not for a minute.
The 7th madrigal is an epithalamio (bridal hymn) and consists of 5 parts; it has a respectable duration of some 15/16 minutes. Therefore the parts are very suited to be performed as intermedi.
Cees Wagemakers